Effect of micronutrient application on the growth promotion of galled shoots caused by Lasioptera bryoniae Schiner (Cecidomyiidae: Diptera) in bitter gourd

Momordica charantia is an important vegetable crop worldwide because of dietary values. It has been severely infested by the Lasioptera bryoniae in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts of Tamil Nadu. The growth retarded portions shown no growth even after the pesticide application because of insect feeding blocks the nutrient flow. The present study was undertaken to study the effect of application of micronutrients through foliar spray for the growth promotion of galled shoots. The treatment comprises of the ZnSo₄ 0.5 % + FeSo₄ 0.5 % + MgSo₄ 0.5 % + CuSo₄ 0.1% sprayed at 30 and 45 days after sowing was found effective among the other treatments and lead to significant pest resistance. The possible effect of lesser incidence of gall in micronutrient mixture application can be attributed to the induced resistance in plants influencing the physiology and gall structure.